Kontaveit makes it unlucky 13 for Kvitova in Paris

Petra Kvitova had been billed as a contender for the title in Paris, but Anett Kontaveit sent her crashing out.

Petra Kvitova's 13-match winning run was brought to a juddering halt by Anett Kontaveit in the third round of the French Open on Saturday.

Kvitova has been billed as a contender to be crowned champion at Roland Garros for the first time after winning back-to-back titles in Madrid and Prague.

But the 2012 semi-finalist's purple patch was ended by 25th seed Kontaveit, who won 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-4) on Court 1.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova, who returned to the court last year after suffering serious damage to her left hand in a knife attack, won the first two games of the match but failed to kick on.

She was broken twice in the first set and failed to hold three times in a row in the second, bowing out after saving three match points.

Kvitova paid for making 57 unforced errors, one of which drew gasps in the second-set tie-break when she hammered a straightforward overhead volley way beyond the baseline.

Estonian Kontaveit will attempt to go beyond the fourth round of a major for the first time when she comes up against Sloane Stephens.